This invention relates to novel compounds. More particularly, this invention relates to novel compounds which possess valuable utility as antifertility agents and thus are useful in the control of animal populations. In another aspect, this invention relates to a novel method of inhibiting pregnancy and to a novel method of controlling animal populations.
The prior art has recognized various classes of compounds, each having the general formula ##STR1## IN WHICH Ar is an aryl moiety and Y is any of various groups, such as --CH.sub.2 --, --CH.sub.2 --CH.sub.2 --, --S--, --NH, --OCH.sub.2 --, --O--, --CH.sub.2 S--, and --SCH.sub.2 --. Many compounds within these general classes are described as having antifertility activity.
Lednicer et al., J. Med. Chem., 8, (1965), pp. 52-57, discloses 2,3-diphenylindenes and derivatives thereof as antifertility agents.
Lednicer et al., J. Med. Chem., 9, (1966), pp. 172-175; Lednicer et al., J. Med. Chem., 10 (1967), pp. 78-84; and Bencze et al., J. Med. Chem., 8 (1965), pp. 213-214, each disclose various 1,2-diaryl-3,4-dihydronaphthalenes as active antifertility agents. In addition, U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,274,213; 3,313,853; 3,396,169; and 3,567,737 disclose various 1,2-diphenyl-3,4-dihydronaphthalenes as useful antifertility agents.
Other United States Patents disclose both 1,2-diphenyl-3,4-dihydronaphthalenes and 2,3-diphenylindenes as active agents. These include U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,293,263; 3,320,271; 3,483,293; 3,519,675; 3,804,851; and 3,862,232.
In addition, Crenshaw et al., J. Med. Chem. 14, (1971), pp. 1185-1190, discloses, among others, various 2,3-diarylbenzothiophenes as exhibiting antifertility activity. Certain of these compounds are claimed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,413,305. Crenshaw et al. additionally disclose other compounds which participate in the general classes described hereinabove. 2,3-Diarylbenzofurans corresponding generally to the above benzothiophenes are disclosed and claimed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,394,125.
A need still exists to provide additional compounds useful as antifertility agents and, in particular, nonsteroidal antifertility agents. The novel compounds of this invention fill such a need. They are 2-aroyl-3-phenylbenzothiophenes and 2-aroyl-3-phenylbenzothiophene-1-oxides, and, structurally, they differ significantly from those described in the aforementioned prior art. It is an object therefore of this invention to provide novel nonsteroidal compounds having antifertility activity.